On September 6, 1622, the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, a 112 foot Spanish galleon,sank 35 miles west of Key West, Florida, near the Dry Tortugas islands during a hurricane. The ship was more heavily armed than the other 27 ships and was thus carrying the most important people and the most cargo of the ships in its convoy. The Atocha was the rear ship and when the hurricane hit was one of eight ships to sink. It sank very quickly in 55 feet of water, and 260 of the 265 people aboard perished. The survivors were found the next day clinging to the mizzenmast, 3 crew and 2 slaves were rescued. Plans to salvage the ship were hampered by the depth as divers of that time had to hold their breath and had no masks to help them see underwater. A few weeks later another hurricane spread the wreckage across the ocean floor and salvage attempts focused on other, more accessible ships. The Atocha was then lost in time.